


Things Change, Things Stay the Same

by guremahishin



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 03:07:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5692276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guremahishin/pseuds/guremahishin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ginoza and Akane spending time together. Cuddling. Missing Kougami.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things Change, Things Stay the Same

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinychosen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinychosen/gifts).



> Another fic for an exchange among friends!

There are necessary additions to Division 1, naturally; they’ve lost members as is prone to happen with the passage of time. But the old Division 1 was family in various ways, and Akane and Ginoza in particular don’t -- can’t -- forget that. Even if Ginoza was too distant and Akane was too new for it to always feel that way, looking back, it’s the only way they can see it.

Ginoza was colder then. Funny how losing his father and Kougami in a figurative sense made him that way, and losing them more permanently changed that. He’s more protective of Akane now as a result, holding onto who’s close as long as they’re here. He’s learned not to miss that chance.

Akane has grown, though. One could almost say she became colder, but that’s not really true; she just learned how to handle herself, gained surety with her experience. She’s still warm and kind, but...more professionally and confidently sometimes, perhaps. Ginoza is proud, and watching her gives him hope. He may have been doubtful of her mode of operation in the past, but he trusts her almost implicitly now.

(Blind trust would be unwise, he thinks, but she really has yet to let him down, so experience has taught him to have faith.)

Sometimes Ginoza wonders if this version of Division 1 will one day be family when he looks back on it. And the answer is maybe, but he doesn’t much like or trust Togane. And Shimotsuki...well, he doesn’t see  _ a lot _ of hope for her, but maybe there’s some, and he’d like to have that faith. He’s less certain about Shou, but when he starts calling Akane “big sis,” Ginoza gives in to the idea easily. Akane seems to make a good big sister, after all, and he once again trusts her judgment.

Even then, though, Ginoza is very far from forgetting the people they’ve lost. He knows Akane could never forget either. There are nights, after Shimotsuki has gone home and the other Enforcers have returned to their quarters, that Akane will accompany Ginoza on a walk with Dime. It lets them all get some fresh air, and it’s nice just to spend some time walking peacefully with someone who understands.

They miss everyone they’ve lost, of course, but Kougami was particularly close with both of them. They both had a stake in trying to stop him, they both failed to do so, and now they both miss him; are bitter about his absence; want to know he’s alive and well. They’ve bonded, in a way, over these things, over their shared experiences. They have each other’s backs and some nights they’re just there for comfort and commiseration with one another.

Tonight is like that. Akane follows Ginoza and Dime back to their quarters after their walk. There are times she heads home after checking Ginoza back in at the MWPSB, but this isn’t the first time she’s stayed a while longer. In theory, they don’t have an early start tomorrow, which is why they can afford the time. (Though, if they couldn’t afford it and spent the time anyway, that wouldn’t be a first either; they always managed anyway, since managing is the only choice they have.)

It’s getting to be the time of year when there’s a chill in the air, so they have jackets to remove along with their shoes and Ginoza has Dime to unhook from his leash. They’ve done this enough that they can comfortably settle in, side by side. It will only ever be Ginoza and Dime here really, but sometimes it’s nice to think that Akane is at home here as well.

He smiles at her fondly, but a little sadly too. As much time as it’s been, Ginoza still remembers planning to live together with Kougami, remembers it falling apart. Akane’s presence does make him happy, but it’s different, and sometimes he still misses the possibility of sharing space with someone -- Kougami specifically, but Akane isn’t a bad thought at all, in her own way. None of it is anything but wishful thinking now that he’s an Enforcer, but he’s learned to be content with that -- with these types of visits. Most of the time.

She catches him thoughtfully watching her make herself at home and he quickly covers himself with a question.

“Care for a drink?”

“Thanks, not this time, though. I’d rather just...relax, if that’s fine by you.” These living areas aren’t really made to entertain, but that just makes it that much easier for Akane to walk across the open room and make herself comfortable on the bed as she speaks.

Not that Ginoza could really say no to that anyway. They’re both a little tired from the workload recently, he’s sure, and there are times when that leads to thinking about Kougami. They both remember him often anyway, naturally, but when Akane applies all that she learned from him and Ginoza can see that in her, especially when she succeeds in cracking something tough, well… It’s bittersweet.

They both miss him, and he can’t speak for Akane, but Ginoza has his share of anger and frustration towards Kougami as well.

In any case, Ginoza smiles at Akane fondly -- again -- and answers “I think I could stand to just relax” as he walks over to lay next to her on the bed. They’re still at the foot of the bed, feet on the floor, so Dime takes the chance to jump up and make himself comfortable in the available space above their heads.

And that’s a reminder of how Dime would cuddle up to Kougami too, but sometimes everything feels like a reminder of Kougami. It’s not that either Ginoza or Akane think of each other as just a substitute for his company, but his presence is missed all the same. Sometimes Ginoza thinks, had he just stopped being so stubborn, had circumstances been right while Kougami was still here, all three of them could have laid here with Dime.

But it’s just he and Akane, and he intends to enjoy her presence thoroughly despite all the things that try to weigh him down. He’s learned the hard way what spending his time on hang ups and regrets gets him. Mostly, it’s nothing good.

“You’re thinking about him too.”

It’s not a question; Akane knows. And if Akane is willing to bring it up, Ginoza isn’t going to deny either of them the comfort of commiserating a bit. Sometimes that doesn’t have to be considered lingering.

“I am,” he admits, shifting towards her a bit to tentatively settle his right arm -- his real arm, the one that still feels suited to the warmth and softness associated with cuddling -- across her. She scoots a little closer, makes things a little more favorable for cuddling, settles into the contact. And he does too, so they’re nearly spooning now; so he’s enjoying the comfort and closeness of touch, never wanting to miss these chances again.

There’s a stretch of silence after that as they think to themselves, but finally Ginoza voices what’s been bothering him for a while: “Even if he came back, things wouldn’t be the same.”

It feels like an obvious statement, but Akane makes a sound of agreement. They both miss him anyway, of course, but going back is impossible. And as nice as it might be, as much as they might privately think they’d like for things to be how they once were, Ginoza is sure they’ve also both moved forward. And the parts of them that have done that have moved past truly wanting that reality. The only way to move is forward, and if they meet him again somehow, well…

“What would you do if you could see him again?”

Ginoza wonders if Akane is as conflicted as he is about what he’d want to say or do upon meeting Kougami again, because it’s all making him rather unsure. He still loves him, but that doesn’t eliminate the hurt and anger.

“I’d do whatever I had to.” She answers so easily when Ginoza doesn’t feel like he could yet. “I want him to be alive, and safe. But he’s already done things I couldn’t stop him from doing, so… if I had to fight him, or bring him to justice, I might.”

“You might?”

That sounds less sure than what she started out saying.

“Within reason. Like I said, I want him to be safe and alive.”

“Mm,” is all he says in understanding, because he can’t fault her for feeling that way. Neither of them are exactly happy with the Sibyl System, but there’s only so much they can do in disagreement with it without throwing things into chaos; they’ve seen the consequences of that. So maybe his answer isn’t all that different.

“What about you?”

He finds his answer comes easier than expected when asked.

“I’d like to punch him for leaving.” He might like to kiss him too, just to know that’s the last time since he can’t remember the last time definitively right now. But he can keep that to himself because if the decision comes down to it, he’ll resolve not to make that his first choice.

Akane giggles a little. “I’ll make sure you have that chance if there’s anything I can do about it.”

Ginoza smiles, rests his head halfway on her shoulder, and shuts his eyes. Even if he wasn’t feeling tired from a long day, he’d be content and comfortable with her here, like this.

“Have I ever told you that you’re the best Inspector I’ve had the pleasure to work with?”

“One or two other times after a long day, yes.” But she’s smiling because she knows he’s truly grateful, whether that particular statement is hyperbole or not.

She’s confident in the comfort they find in each other being mutual too. She notices Ginoza has gotten more defensive of her in the time since Kougami has left, which, to her, is less a sign of his doubt in her abilities and more a sign of him allowing himself to feel closer to people. Closer to her, despite the losses he’s endured.

So she places a hand over his, closes her eyes, and allows herself to drift off next to him for a while; just enjoying the comfort of one another’s presence.


End file.
